TRUTH IN THE PSALMS STEMMING FROM THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN TO GAIUS ABOUT TRUTH
This message/study is in conjunction with 3John and walking in truth. That one is found here - https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/three-men-and-a-church-now-what-is-the-result-3rd-letter-of-john-ron-ferguson-sermon-on-truth-278579?_gl=1*1bt9fhh*_ga*MjYwMTc0OTI3LjE2NzE2NDA1ODM.*_ga_TRT0ERDR3P*MTcwNjIwMTk4OS41MDYuMS4xNzA2MjAyMDAzLjQ2LjAuMA..
In the third letter of John written to Gaius, the Apostle majors on truth. This word, “truth” is so easily set aside in our days and has become an empty word. Man’s wickedness has increased enormously so that truth has become causality.
A former Premier of Queensland, Australia, Peter Beattie, authorised/legalised that it was now legitimate for politicians to lie in the Queensland Parliament. It is confirmed here -(https://www.theage.com.au/national/mps-cleared-to-lie-in-parliament-20060526-ge2e8o.html) That is true. Truth has died. It has been trashed. It has become the victim of growing departure from God.
In Isaiah's own time something similar had happened that caused the prophet great distress. He wrote this – {{Isaiah 59:14-15 “Justice is turned back and righteousness stands far away FOR TRUTH HAS STUMBLED IN THE STREET, and uprightness cannot enter. Yes, TRUTH IS LACKING and he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the LORD saw, and it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.”}}
Jesus revealed this - {{John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, AND THE TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”}} Truth is essential to God. Without truth there could not be God for there would be no definite absolute for all of existence. God is true and so must be His followers. Falsehood belongs to the world, not to Christians. The world embraces untruths and falsity because its father is the one called a liar – {{John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES.”}}
When I was thinking into the message on Gaius in the third letter of John, I was impressed with how often John makes reference to the truth in his letters. Indeed he does it too in his Gospel. The apostle must have been really impressed with the words the Lord taught about truth. I decided to put together an article on TRUTH as it is found in the Psalms. This is what you might call, “Truth in Singing”. Let us look at these references.
[A]. SPEAKING TRUTH AND THINKING OF IT WITHIN
{{Psalm 15:1-2 “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, AND SPEAKS TRUTH IN HIS HEART.”}}
Here a question is asked and answered. Just to make it plainer the psalmist is asking who can ever come into God’s presence. God is an awesome God and a consuming fire. Imagine falling into the sun. An unrighteous man, if he could literally enter the presence of God, would be the same as the hapless individual falling into the sun.
There is a threefold answer to the questions asked. The only ones qualified to come into the presence of God must meet the three criteria mentioned in the answer. Now we need to be very clear about this. The answer is integrity, righteousness and truth. Those three qualities must be possessed, but the word of God says this – {{Romans 3:10-11 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, not even one. There is none who understands. THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD.”}}
That leaves man in a dilemma because how can anyone come into the presence of God? And that is the core of the gospel. Jesus was our substitute so that by His death we enter into life. When we are converted we then have our unrighteousness exchanged for the righteousness of God. The Holy Spirit of truth dwells with us and leads us into all truth. We have a new nature and God’s integrity is given by the Holy Spirit.
The last part of verse 2 may look a bit odd “speaks truth in his heart”. God’s Spirit witnesses with our spirit that we are the children of God. We have an internal witness and confirmation of the truth in our hearts. That is what it means.
[B]. A REQUEST TO KNOW THE TRUTH - A NOBLE SENTIMENT
{{Psalm 25:4-5 “Make me know Your ways, O LORD. Teach me Your paths. LEAD ME IN YOUR TRUTH and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. For You I wait all the day.”}}
This is a request for continued truthfulness. The psalmist has a sincere desire for several things, all of which are godly intentions. He wants to know God’s ways. He wants to be taught what God’s paths are. He wants God’s truth to lead him and guide him. Then he ends the request saying he waits all day long for God. This is a testimony about walking in the truth as Gaius was doing.
Often we as humans are leading ourselves and directing our own paths and these are often paths of error and deception and even delusion. Even as Christians we can walk those paths. The psalmist wants truth to lead him and teach him. What a wonderful desire to have for our lives.
How can truth lead us? It is not as if we are tied to truth by a rope so we blindly follow. It is not simple like that. We must learn the ways of truth and then be led by it. A verse helps us – {{Psalm 119:160 “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.”}}. I like the expression “the SUM of Your word is truth,” for it is the totality of the bible that will lead us into all truth. This fact was confirmed by Jesus – {{John 17:17 “SANCTIFY THEM IN THE TRUTH. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH.”}}
There is only one avenue to truth and that is through the Holy Spirit leading into the truth of the bible for the Holy Spirit is the Author and no other can enlighten the truth of God’s word.
[C]. WALKING IN TRUTH CAN ONLY FOLLOW THE TESTED PERSON – IN FULL
{{Psalm 26:2-3 “Examine me, O LORD, and try me. Test my mind and my heart, for Your loving kindness is before my eyes, and I HAVE WALKED IN YOUR TRUTH.”}}
This is both a request and a testimony from David. His request is that the Lord will examine him – try all his ways; scrutinise them carefully. I wonder how many of us are that open with God? We have secret recesses we would not like the Lord seeing. We prefer not to have that scrutiny. It is a terrible indictment of the human soul, even the converted man.
Again David requests the same thing but in different wording. He asks the Lord to test his mind and heart. Mind is associated with thoughts and heart with emotions and desires. Again we could ask, what are our thoughts like and what are our emotions and desires like? That is the whole person. Not one part of us is separate from God.
If we pursue this goodness correctly then God’s kindness and love is ever before us. ONLY then can a person say, when he/she fully belongs to God, that “I have walked in your truth.”
The next two verses that follow the two we considered in Psalm 26, explain why David was open to the Lord’s full scrutiny. It was because of his associations – {{Psalm 26:4-5 “I DO NOT SIT WITH DECEITFUL MEN, nor will I go with pretenders. I HATE THE ASSEMBLY OF EVILDOERS, and I will not sit with the wicked.”}}. If one associates with wicked and deceitful people, then one’s testimony is marred and the personality flawed. That causes the person to shy away from the Lord, not come near Him for personal examination.
[D]. HERE IS A LITTLE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRUTH THAT WILL PRESERVE THE OWNER
{{Psalm 40:11 “You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me. Your loving-kindness and YOUR TRUTH WILL CONTINUALLY PRESERVE ME.”}}
Preservation for life is found in God’s love and kindness (mercy – AV) and in truth. Our God is a compassionate God who desires the best fellowship with His people. His kindness is not withheld, but neither is it thrown away when not deserved. You can not live a selfish life just unto yourself and fulfil the desires of your flesh, and then expect God to pour His blessings on you.
Truth is so important as is love but it is not our truth. It is God’s and as was said earlier, that is found only in the word of God. Hold fast to the truth and embrace it. It is in God’s word. That is essential for your growth and wellbeing and ultimately for your preservation.
[E]. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE TRUTH
{{Psalm 40:9-11 “I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation. Behold, I will not restrain my lips, O LORD, You know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart. I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I HAVE NOT CONCEALED Your loving-kindness and YOUR TRUTH FROM THE GREAT CONGREGATION.”}}
There is truth that God has entrusted to us. We are the walking vessels of His truth. We must never conceal it either by neglect or by withholding it. The words in this Psalm are a high and lofty state and that is because Psalm 40 is a Messianic Psalm (one speaking of the coming Messiah to Israel). The words apply to the Lord’s ministry on earth. However an example was set for us and we must wait on the Lord to be faithful in proclaiming His truth.
[F]. TRUTH WILL LEAD IN THE LIGHT
{{Psalm 43:3 “O send out Your light and Your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy hill, and to Your dwelling places.”}}
Light and truth are leading the way, both making the path clear. The psalmist requests these will lead him and he has it correct. The light shows the way ahead and shines on the truth. Truth is the guide posts that lock the way in place. There is no better way to be than to be led by the light, for Jesus is the Light of the World, and there is no better way to walk than by truth, as truth holds the heart in righteousness and assurance.
Do we want the leading of the Lord? It is found in light and truth and both those necessary components are found in the bible. It is paramount.
[G]. TRUTH IS GOD’S DESIRE FOR HE WORKS IN NO OTHER WAY
{{Psalm 51:6 “Behold, YOU DESIRE TRUTH IN THE INNERMOST BEING, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.”}}
David had been through a traumatic experience through falling into sin and this psalm is his prayer of repentance. Sometimes it takes some hard knocks to realise what is the proper reality and what is substantial and what is false. David had been at the bottom but it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit that brought him out of that while understanding that the absolute truth is what God requires.
Repentance makes one see that God is truth and our relationship with Him must be founded on truth. It is logical because the Lord Jesus Christ is the Truth and it is to Him we relate. The expression “in the innermost being” “inward parts” – AV) is in the very depth or as Barnes says, [[“The word rendered "inward parts," means properly the reins, and is usually employed to denote the seat of the mind, the feelings, the intellect.”]] God is not fooled. May the Lord lead us into His truth. Amen.
[H]. THE GAP BETWEEN GOD AND MAN HAS BEEN BRIDGED
{{Psalm 85:10-11 “LOVING-KINDNESS AND TRUTH HAVE MET TOGETHER. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.”}}
We have here two wonderful verses of reconciliation. There is so much in them that even goes to the two cherubim on the mercy seat but have to omit that for now. Strong contrast is featured in the verses in two pairs. The first is loving kindness and truth. God loves the lost race of mankind and wants to accept them, but truth is related to holiness, and holiness rejects the unclean sinner. Therefore love and truth are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The second contrast is righteousness and peace. God desires peace with sinful men but righteousness does not allow that for it too, is related to holiness and justice. Again you have a pair of opposites.
However in the Psalm there is reconciliation indicated by the words “met together” and “kissed”. How is this possible? It is ONLY through the work; the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for He bridged the gap between heaven and earth. Truth and love are bonded together in Him.
[I]. EXPRESS DESIRE TO WALK IN THE TRUTH AND TO HAVE A HEART LIKE GAIUS
{{Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD. I WILL WALK IN YOUR TRUTH. Unite my heart to fear Your name.”}}
The psalmist says he will walk in the Lord’s truth, but this just does not happen by itself. The first part must be in place first. That is, he must be taught God’s way. THEN he will learn to walk in God’s truth.
“Unite my heart” is to bring my whole being together, and that is how we want it so that we fear the Lord’s name. The word “fear” is to reverence and respect, leading to worship. This ought to be the great desire of our hearts for the coming of the Lord is close. There is no time for playacting.
[J]. DAVID HAS HIS FINGER ON THE MATTER TO REALISE TRUTH IS IN THE WORD OF GOD
{{Psalm 119:142 “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and YOUR LAW IS TRUTH.” Psalm 119:151 “You are near, O LORD, and ALL YOUR COMMANDMENTS ARE TRUTH.”}}
Do you want to know truth? Go to the word of God. Do you want to know the truth about God? Go to the word of God. Nothing could be simpler to understand. Truth is found ONLY in God’s word. The truth the world talks about is deception for the devil has distorted truth and inverted it. How wonderful it will be when in the Millennium, truth will reign over all the earth.
[K]. WHAT GREATER STATEMENT THAN THIS ONE TO FINISH THE STUDY OF TRUTH IN PSALM 119
{{Psalm 119:160 “THE SUM OF YOUR WORD IS TRUTH, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.”}}
Psalm 119 is the great chapter about the declared word of God. Ordinance, precept, law, commandment, statute, testimony – all expressions used in this Psalm denoting God’s word. When ALL the bible is added together we can say, “the sum of Your word is TRUTH.” That is the testimony of God through the Holy Spirit to the word given by inspiration. THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE FROM START TO FINISH.
[L]. THE DIVINE KING OF TRUTH
{{Psalm 132:11 The LORD has sworn to David, A TRUTH FROM WHICH HE WILL NOT TURN BACK, “Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.”}}
Cynical Pilate once asked, “What is truth?” while all the time there stood before him the Divine Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings and the Eternal TRUTH, but Pilate was so deceived in his darkness, he never knew it. It was too late for him and the great white throne will reveal his sad plight.
David was promised an heir that will sit on his throne. This was way more than David’s descendants for that ended at the time of Nebuchadnezzar, but the eternal Son of David will sit on the throne forever. In the Millennium Messiah Jesus will sit on David’s throne in Jerusalem, as king – {{Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.”}}
The LORD has set this in stone; never will it be reversed; never turned back!
[M]. THANKS GIVEN TO THE LORD FOR HIS TRUTH
{{Psalm 138:2 “I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving-kindness AND YOUR TRUTH for You have magnified Your word according to all Your name.”}}
Thanks is given for two things to God’s holy name; one is for His loving kindness and the second is for God’s truth. I wonder if you have ever considered giving thanks to the Lord for His truth. We do thank the TRUTH Himself but God is truth entirely and is worthy of thanks.
[N]. DON’T COME TO GOD IF YOU DON’T COME IN TRUTH!
{{Psalm 145:18-19 “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, TO ALL WHO CALL UPON HIM IN TRUTH. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him. He will also hear their cry and will save them.”}}
This one closes off the truth mentions in the Psalms and is a most fitting one to end on. It is a beautiful verse expressing the nearness of God for all who call on Him. However the warning is sounded. God refuses pretence, and false people. He will hear only those who call on Him in truth. What does that mean?
It means you lay aside all your dishonesty and sham and selfishness and come to the Lord as a needy sinner. Truth is when you face reality, when you admit what you really are – a worthless sinner unable to help yourself.
God loves the world as we are told in John 3:16 and not willing that any should perish, but what is false will be banished. You who are in the greatest need, call on the Lord for He is near, but do so in truth. He will draw near to you.
Don’t miss the rest of the verse – those who fear the Lord, He meets their genuine desires, AND He will hear and save.
If you have never come to the Lord for salvation, do so today while His mercy is still extended.
